Adverse effects of caffeine and theophylline in the newborn infant.

The desirable effects of methylxanthine use in the neonate, appropriately prescribed and monitored, outweigh the importance of adverse effects. This view assumes that pharmacologic manipulation of apnea of prematurity is in itself a desirable goal and clearly superior to treatment of apneic episodes when they occur. While a considerable body of evidence supports this current practice, conclusive documentation awaits long-term follow-up studies.